


Hello, Goodbye

by Venusdoom3



Series: Related Stucky One-Shots [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bisexual Steve Rogers, Break Up, Bucky Barnes (mentioned) - Freeform, Closeted Character, F/M, M/M, Past Steve Rogers/Sharon Carter (sort of), Peggy Carter (mentioned) - Freeform, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:04:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8174284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venusdoom3/pseuds/Venusdoom3
Summary: "What I want to know, Steve, is why did you bother in the first place? Why put on such a show of kissing me in public when you were so clearly head over heels for someone else?"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Two works posted in one day! *fist pump* This one, I've been wanting to write for a while, but I finally sat down and wrote it in about half an hour. Beta'd by me, so all mistakes are my own even if the characters are not.
> 
> Takes place while Bucky languishes in Wakandan cryo.

**

(2016)

**

 

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sharon. It's Steve. How've you been?"

A near-silent huff of what might have been laughter. "It's been that long, huh?"

Heavy sigh. "I know, I know… I should've called you sooner. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. We're hardly going steady, are we?"

"I don't know. The rules are all different now than what I remember." Not that he would've known the rules then, either, but no need to speak that truth aloud.

"So why are you calling?"

"I, uh… well, to say hi, and to see if you want to meet up, maybe grab coffee or something."

"Ah. That means one of two things: either this is a booty call, which I seriously doubt, considering you only kissed me twice and wouldn't even touch me beyond holding my hand that one time—"

 _What's a booty call?_ Better not to ask.

"—or you're going to tell me you don't want to see me anymore, in which case, first of all, _duh_ , you haven't bothered to see or even talk to me in three weeks, and second, thanks, but no thanks. I have no interest in getting dumped at a Starbucks."

"How could I dump you if we weren't going steady?" Honest confusion. Understandable enough. Times have changed.

A laugh that sounds almost genuine. "Touché. Which means this can be handled just fine over the phone. But what I want to know, Steve, is why did you bother in the first place? Why put on such a show of kissing me in public when you were so clearly head over heels for someone else?"

"What – wh… I was?"

Nearly audible eye roll. "I didn't fall off the apple cart yesterday, Rogers. Don't play that game with me."

"It wasn't like that. I just… I guess… I don't know. I didn't know which end was up, what with Peggy gone—"

"—and Sergeant Barnes back." There was an edge to the words that he didn't quite care for, but he let the barb slip past.

"Yeah. That too. I've just been thinking about it, and I owe you an apology. I had no right to lead you on. You're swell, Sharon, but there's something just wrong about trying to date my best girl's great-niece."

"Ugh. When you put it that way, it makes me sound like a cretin who tried to jump into my aunt's ex-boyfriend's pants before she was cold in her grave. Jesus, Steve."

"I'm sorry. I'm no good at this."

"I can tell." It doesn't come out as harshly as it might've been intended. "Listen, I know you're from a different time. I get that. But things are different now. You don't need a beard anymore, and I don't appreciate being interviewed for the position."

"A… beard?"

Impatient sigh. "A girlfriend just to keep up appearances. You might've fooled even me if you'd ever bothered to _try_ seducing me just the littlest bit, but you couldn't even stomach touching me. Besides, anyone with half a brain can tell you're already taken."

Dumbstruck silence, then, cautiously: "I am?"

"Steve." Her voice holds more pity than malice now. "Nobody would go to the lengths you did to defend a guy who's just a friend. Nobody."

"But — I—"

"Listen, we'll probably have to work together at some point in the future, so I want to keep this civil. It stung a bit when I realized you were as far from interested in me as you possibly could've been, but I guess it's at least a little flattering that you thought I'd make a decent fake girlfriend. Hell, how many girls can say they've been kissed by Captain America? Listen. I'm not even mad. Okay? When Barnes gets defrosted, I wish you and him all the luck in the world. Till then, hey… there's always Grindr, right? Bye, Steve."

He stares at the cell phone in his hand as the call disconnects, blinking at the display, his mind trying to process what just happened while his heart beats patiently thousands of miles away on the African continent, waiting for the spring thaw to usher in new growth.

**


End file.
